Maharashtra FDA Crackdown: Rat, Cockroaches Found at Food Stores as Licences Suspended Ahead of Festive Season

Mumbai: With the festive season approaching and demand for sweets, dairy products and packaged food expected to rise, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stepped up inspections across the state. The latest enforcement drive has resulted in action against several food establishments, including a Swiggy Instamart dark store and an Amazon-linked warehouse in Mumbai.

The Maharashtra FDA, led by Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, said it suspended the licences of 10 establishments for alleged violations of food safety and hygiene requirements. The inspections uncovered a range of concerns, from pest infestation and contaminated storage areas to sanitation and food-handling deficiencies.

One of the most serious cases reported by the regulator involved a Swiggy Instamart dark store in Ballard Estate, South Mumbai, where FDA officials said they found a live rat, rodent-damaged rice bags, cockroaches and flies in areas where food products were being handled or stored.

The action comes as Maharashtra authorities intensify checks ahead of the festive period, when the consumption and movement of sweets, khoya, mawa, ghee, milk products and other food items increases significantly.

Rat and cockroaches reportedly found at Swiggy Instamart dark store

The FDA said it ordered the immediate suspension of the food licence of M/s Swinsta ENT Private Limited, which operates the Swiggy Instamart dark store in Ballard Estate.

During an inspection, officials reportedly found a live rat inside the food-handling area.

According to the regulator, several 10-kg rice bags had been gnawed open by rodents, with rice grains scattered across a floor that officials described as contaminated.

Inspectors also reportedly found rodent droppings in important storage areas.

The problems did not stop there. The FDA said officials observed a widespread presence of cockroaches on food articles, while live flies were reportedly found inside food storage carts.

The inspection also identified dead insects, dirt and considerable ice accumulation inside refrigeration units, according to the FDA.

Taken together, these findings prompted the regulator to suspend the establishment’s food licence with immediate effect.

The case has attracted attention because the facility is part of a quick-commerce food supply chain, where products are stored before being picked and delivered to consumers.

Other Mumbai establishments also face licence suspension

The latest action was not limited to the Ballard Estate facility.

According to the Maharashtra FDA, licences of several other establishments were also suspended following inspections that allegedly revealed food safety and hygiene violations.

Among those named by the regulator were Sadguru Sweets and Farsan Mart in Malad, Acculogicx Supply Chain Solutions Pvt Ltd, which operates a warehouse for Amazon, Suleman Usman Mithaiwala on Mohammed Ali Road, Jain Sweet & Bhelpuri House LLP, and NICE Enterprises in Chembur.

The inspections covered different types of food businesses, highlighting that food-safety compliance applies not only to restaurants and sweet shops but also to warehouses and storage facilities that form part of the food distribution chain.

Amazon-linked warehouse comes under FDA scanner

An Amazon-linked warehouse operated by Acculogicx Supply Chain Solutions also faced regulatory action.

The FDA cited alleged deficiencies relating to sanitation, drainage and food-storage practices.

Warehouses and dark stores play an increasingly important role in the modern food-delivery system. Although consumers may not visit these facilities themselves, the food stored there eventually reaches homes and workplaces.

For that reason, maintaining clean storage areas, proper pest control, suitable temperature conditions and hygienic handling practices is an important part of food-safety compliance.

Action against Suleman Usman Mithaiwala and other outlets

The FDA also took action against Suleman Usman Mithaiwala on Mohammed Ali Road.

The establishment’s licence was suspended over reported hygiene-related concerns, including issues surrounding food preparation and storage areas.

Other food establishments, including Jain Sweet & Bhelpuri House LLP and NICE Enterprises in Chembur, were also named among those facing regulatory action.

The FDA’s inspections are aimed at identifying deficiencies and preventing food products that may pose safety or quality concerns from reaching consumers.

Statewide seizure of food worth ₹1.36 crore

The enforcement drive extended well beyond Mumbai.

Across Maharashtra, the FDA said it seized suspected adulterated, substandard or unhygienically handled food products worth approximately ₹1.36 crore.

The seized stock included a wide variety of products that typically see increased demand during the festive season.

These included:

• Khoya and mawa
• Peda and other milk sweets
• Ghee and edible oil
• Barfi and other sweets
• Dry fruits
• Jaggery
• Milk and milk products
• Other dairy-based food items

The FDA also seized 1,868 kg of turmeric powder valued at around ₹6.53 lakh from Miraj, citing concerns related to quality and labelling.

The seizures form part of the regulator’s effort to prevent food products that fail to meet prescribed safety or quality requirements from entering the market.

Thousands of kilograms of milk and dairy products seized

Dairy products have been a particular focus of the enforcement campaign.

The FDA reported the seizure of around 2,813 kg of milk and milk products, valued at approximately ₹7.38 lakh.

Officials also seized other food items, including supari and namkeen, along with toddy in one part of the operation.

The focus on dairy products is particularly relevant during the festive season, when khoya, mawa, paneer, ghee and milk-based sweets are produced and sold in large quantities.

Khoya and mawa seized in Konkan region

The Konkan division also saw significant enforcement action.

At Kashimira in Mira Road, FDA officials reportedly seized 479 kg of khowa and 958 kg of sweet mawa from a vehicle. The products were valued at approximately ₹3.16 lakh.

According to the FDA, the products were considered unfit for sale after officials found them being transported or stored under unhygienic conditions and without adequate temperature control.

In another case, officials reportedly found a vehicle transporting 659 kg of khowa and 220 kg of sweet mawa, together valued at approximately ₹2.69 lakh.

At Charoti Toll in Palghar, another 174 kg of sweet mawa, valued at around ₹48,720, was seized after officials reportedly found it to be substandard and misbranded.

The cases underline the importance of proper temperature control and hygienic transportation, particularly for milk-based products that can deteriorate quickly when handled or stored improperly.

Food safety checks intensify in Pune and Kolhapur

The enforcement campaign also reached other parts of Maharashtra.

In the Pune division, officials seized 126 kg of milk sweets worth ₹63,000 from an establishment in Karad, Satara. The FDA said the products had been prepared under unhygienic conditions.

In Kolhapur, officials seized 99 kg of khowa and 98 kg of rabdi, together valued at around ₹40,430.

The action was reportedly linked to licensing and labelling violations.

Such checks are particularly important during the festive period because large-scale production of sweets can put additional pressure on food businesses to maintain hygiene, storage and quality standards.

Nagpur action against banned gutkha and pan masala

The FDA’s enforcement drive also covered banned products.

In Nagpur, officials seized gutkha and pan masala worth around ₹4.10 lakh along with two vehicles valued at approximately ₹8 lakh, according to the regulator.

Three establishments were inspected as part of the action.

The FDA said three FIRs were registered and three people were arrested in connection with the seizure.

The action demonstrates that the department’s enforcement activities extend beyond food adulteration and hygiene violations to the illegal sale, transportation and distribution of prohibited products.

Mumbai sees extensive inspections

Mumbai remained a major focus of the latest campaign.

The FDA said 27 hotels and restaurants were inspected in the city during the enforcement operation. Several establishments were served notices or faced licence-related action for alleged violations of food safety and hygiene requirements.

The regulator also reported that licences of establishments were suspended where officials found deficiencies serious enough to warrant immediate intervention.

The inspections cover not just the food served to customers but also preparation areas, storage facilities, refrigeration systems, sanitation arrangements and other aspects of food handling.

Why these inspections matter during the festive season

The timing of the crackdown is significant.

Festivals bring a sharp rise in demand for sweets, dairy products, dry fruits, ghee and other food items. As production and sales increase, regulators face the task of ensuring that businesses do not compromise on food safety in an effort to meet higher demand.

Poor storage conditions, pest infestation, improper refrigeration and unhygienic food preparation can create contamination risks even when there is no deliberate adulteration.

The FDA’s latest inspections therefore highlight that food safety involves several factors — from the quality of raw materials to the cleanliness of preparation areas and the conditions in which finished products are stored and transported.

What consumers should keep in mind

The enforcement drive also serves as a reminder for consumers to be careful when buying festive food.

People can pay attention to packaging and labelling, check expiry or best-before information where applicable and purchase food from establishments that follow proper hygiene and storage practices.

For products such as khoya, mawa and milk-based sweets, proper temperature control is especially important because these products can spoil quickly if they are stored incorrectly.

Consumers who notice visibly poor hygiene, unusual packaging or suspicious food quality can report concerns to the relevant food-safety authorities.

FDA’s festival-season message

The Maharashtra FDA’s latest action sends a clear regulatory message to food businesses across the state: increased festive demand does not reduce the requirement to follow food-safety standards.

From quick-commerce warehouses and large food-storage facilities to sweet shops, restaurants and traditional food businesses, establishments handling food are expected to maintain appropriate hygiene and safety measures.

The regulator’s inspections and seizures are also likely to remain an important part of the food-safety campaign as the festive season progresses.

With more consumers expected to purchase sweets, dairy products and other festive foods in the coming weeks, the authorities are continuing to focus on preventing substandard, adulterated or unhygienically handled products from reaching the public.

For now, the FDA’s latest statewide crackdown has resulted in licence suspensions, seizures, FIRs and arrests across different parts of Maharashtra, while inspections continue to monitor compliance with food-safety requirements.

News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.